INDIAN FOOTBALL NEWS 2018 (MAY-2018)

Dempo SC organise Awards Day for their Youth Development Squads.

DEMPO SC PRESS RELEASE 19.05.2018 : Dempo SC organise Awards Day for their Youth Development Squads.
Dempo Sc organized their first ever awards day for the youth development squads from the age groups of 14 years to 20 years. The event was attended by Club President Mr. Shrinivas Dempo and Senior Team Head Coach, Samir Naik. Also present was Dempo SC Technical Director-Youth Development Mr. Karnagaran Naidoo.

Club President Mr. Shrinivas Dempo in his address congratulated the Dempo SC youth teams for winning the U-14 and the U-18 titles this season. He reiterated his commitment to developing grassroots and youth football in Goa and placed on record his vision of seeing maximum number of his youth players graduate to the senior squad.

Technical Director- Youth Development Mr. Katz Naidoo congratulated the technical staff for their commitment and hard work throughout the season and reiterated that now with the bar being raised, they would have to work harder to keep up the high standards set this season. The entire technical staff was also presented with memento’s at the function.

U-20 and First Division
Best Goalkeeper: Wassim Sheikh
Best Defender: Brivon Dias
Best Midfielder: Floyd Pereira
Best Striker: Baggio Fernandes

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Sunil Chhetri named Players’ Player at Bengaluru FC Awards Night

BFC PRESS RELEASE 18.05.2018 : Bengaluru Football Club came together to celebrate another successful season, and to recognize and reward top performers at the club’s Annual Awards Night, held at the JW Marriott, in Bengaluru, on Thursday. Skipper Sunil Chhetri was named top scorer for the fifth season in a row and also picked up the Players’ Player of The Year Award in a night that saw the Blues bid goodbye to coach Albert Roca, who announced his departure earlier in the day.

Award Winners
Top scorer: Sunil Chhetri
Players’ Player of the year: Sunil Chhetri
Fans’ Player of the Year: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu
Goal of the Season: Miku
Upcoming Player of the Year: Asheer Akhtar
U18 Player of the Year: Biswa Darjee
U15 Player of the Year: Bekey Oram

With 24 goals across three competitions, Chhetri claimed the top scorer award ahead of Miku, who had 20 to his name. The skipper added to his tally at the final game of the season, scoring in the Blues’ 4-0 win over Abahani Dhaka – a result that sealed the Blues’ progress into the knockout stages of the AFC Cup for the fourth season running.

In a poll conducted online, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu was named the Fans’ Player of the Year, while Miku’s strike against FC Goa at the Fatorda Stadium was voted the club’s Goal of the Season.

“It’s been a phenomenal season and I’m really proud of the team, the staff and those who have been working behind the scenes at this club. We’re all very sad to see Albert go, but he leaves the club on a high and we cannot express how grateful we are for all his efforts,” said club CEO Parth Jindal.

Roca was full of praise for his Blues’ side that made it to the final of the Indian Super League, lifted the Super Cup title and entered the last-8 of the AFC Cup.

Midfielder Biswa Darjee was named the U18 Player of the Year, while Bekey Oram picked up the U15 Player of the Year for his representation for the club’s youth team and the Indian U16 team. BFC ‘B’ defender Asheer Akhtar was named the Upcoming Player of the Season, having made two appearances for the senior team.

CFC PRESS RELEASE 16.05.2018 : Chennaiyin FC Head Coach John Gregory was honoured at England’s League Managers Association (LMA) Annual Awards on Tuesday evening in London as he received an LMA Special Achievement Award. Gregory was awarded for becoming the first Englishman to win the Indian Super League.

The League Managers Association is a body in England for English coaches and all managers in English football. The LMA hosts an awards night annually to reward the best performing coaches in English football every season and also recognise efforts of English coaches from around the world. Tuesday was their 26th Annual Awards Dinner.

On an evening where Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola was among the winners, Chennaiyin’s Gregory received the award from former Manchester United and Everton manager and current West Ham United Head Coach David Moyes.

A short video on Chennaiyin’s 2017-18 Indian Super League triumph was shown to a star studded audience which included current Premier League managers Sam Allardyce (Everton), Roy Hodgson (Crystal Palace) and 2018 World Cup bound head coaches Gareth Southgate (England) and Roberto Martinez (Belgium).

“It was fantastic to win the title in my first season in India. Football in India is growing and the ISL is getting better and better. The standard of football is improving and more people are taking interest. I just can’t wait to go back and try and defend the title,” Gregory said after receiving the award.

Under Gregory, Chennaiyin FC won their second ISL title on March 17 by beating hosts Bengaluru FC 3-2 in the final and finished the campaign with an eight-game unbeaten run. That victory also ensured Gregory’s CFC side a place in the 2019 AFC Cup. The 64-year-old Englishman has already been retained by the two-time ISL champions as he signed a one year extension back in March.

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AIFF BANNED MINERVA SUPREMO RANJIT BAJAJ FOR 1 YEAR

14.05.2018: Minerva Punjab FC's owner Ranjit Bajaj was banned for a year and fined an amount of Rs 10 lack by All India Football Federation following a raciest remark against the match official. The All India Football Federation Disciplinary Committee on Monday said this was the fourth offence committed by Ranjit Bajaj within a span of a year.

In an U 16 Youth League match at Shillong the Minerva Punjab supremo Ranjit Bajaj abuses referee ynskhemhame Mawthoh, with racial comments. During the period of suspension Ranjit Bajaj will be banned from any football related activities which includes entry inside the stadium during the course of a match. Ranjit Bajaj will have to pay a fine of Rs 10 lacks with ten days from the issuing of his suspension letter.

The AIFF disciplinary committee headed by Ushanath Ganguly in his report said, "In default of which, suspension and the ban shall continue for the delayed period over and above 12 months, till payment in full."

13.05.2018 : AIFF PRESS RELEASE :The Indian U-16 National Team was crowned champions of the Four-Nation Tournament held in Serbia from May 09-13, 2018 after the Indian Colts defeated Tajikistan 4-2 today (May 13, 2018).

The Four-Nation Tournament saw the Indian U-16s face hosts Serbia, Jordan, and Tajikistan and while the Indian Colts drew 0-0 with the hosts, they defeated Jordan 2-1 and Tajikistan 4-2. In what was a stellar start for the Indian U-16s against Tajikistan today, the young colts took the lead as early as the 5th minute when Gibson lobbed the ball over the opposing custodian. Two minutes later, Sailo took advantage of a scramble inside the opposition box and scored to double India’s lead.
India tripled their lead in the 9th minute when Shabaj slotted the ball home to make the scoreline read 3-0 in less than ten minutes. Tajikistan started to fight back and in the 12th minute pulled a goal back courtesy of a penalty kick.In the 15th minute, Tajikistan minimized their deficiency and found the Indian net once again to make the scoreline read 3-2.

After the half-time scoreline read 3-2 in India’s favour, and with Tajikistan holding on to hopes of a dramatic comeback, the Indian Colts put the match to rest.

11.05.2018 : AIFF PRESS RELEASE :The Indian U-16 National Team currently participating in the Four-Nation Tournament held hosts Serbia to a goalless stalemate today (May 11, 2018). The Indian Colts had started the match on a positive note and as early as the 3rd minute the Indian threat seemed apparent when Rohit Danu pressurized the opposition custodian to committing a mistake which eventually saw Gibson’s shot going wide of the goal.

Coming on the back of a 2-1 win over Jordan, the Indian U-16s piled pressure on the Serbian defence line and in the 20th minute, Vikram’s shot was saved by the opposition custodian. The match consisted of two halves of forty minutes each and Vikram was once again held into the fray when is shot from close range went inches wide of the goal in the 52nd minute.

Meanwhile, the Indian defence line and superb goalkeeping by the Indian custodian, who was called into the action often, kept the scoreline tied at 0-0. In the dying embers of the match India survived a scare when the Indian custodian spilled a regular save infront of the Serbian attack line but last minute defending by the Indian defence averted the danger infront of goal. The full-time scoreline read 0-0.

The India U-16s will play Tajikistan next in the Four-Nation Tournament on May 13, 2018 in Serbia.

11.05.2018 : AIFF PRESS RELEASE : In another milestone for Referring in India, Uvena Fernandes has been selected to officiate as an Assistant Referee in the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup slated to be held in France from August 5-24, 2018. The new feather in Uvena’s cap comes after she had earlier become the first Indian Woman Assistant Referee to officiate in a FIFA World Cup including the final match when she even officiated in the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup final match between Japan and DPR Korea.

She had officiated four FIFA World Cup matches in the Women’s FIFA U-17 World Cup for which she was awarded with an AFC Referees Special Award in 2016.“It is like another dream coming true and I cannot believe that I will be officiating in my second FIFA World Cup in less than two years,” she told www.the-aiff.com “I thank AIFF for all the guidance and help.”

“It is not only a boost for me, it’s a boost for Women’s Football and Women’s Refereeing in general and it shows that Indian Referees can also make it to the big stage on a regular basis,” she added. Lauding Uvena’s appointment Mr. Kushal Das, General Secretary, AIFF said that the manner AIFF have focused on Refereeing development, “it was on the cards.”

“Development of Indian Referees stays on our priority list. It’s nice to see Indian Referees get International recognition. She had earlier been selected to officiate in the FIFA Women’s U-17 World Cup and now she will be officiating in the FIFA Women’s U-20 World Cup. Congratulations Uvena. I wish her all the best,” the General Secretary said.

All India Football Federation’s Head of Referees Col. (Retd.) Goutam Kar said, “Uvena has been a trendsetter for referees in India and her selection proves that she is at par with some of the best referees in the World. This is also a promotion for India’s Women's referees how refereeing has drastically progressed in the country.”

“The AIFF has been committed for overall development of Indian referees and Uvenas's selection proves that we are on the right track,” he added.

10.05.2018 : AIFF PRESS RELEASE : National Coach Stephen Constantine called up 30 players for the National Team’s preparatory camp for the Hero Intercontinental Cup which is slated to be held in Mumbai from June 1, 2018. The summoned players are to assemble for the Camp in Mumbai on May 16 while players from JSW Bengaluru FC will be reporting to the camp on May 18 after finishing their club commitments for the AFC Cup.

India will compete with Kenya, New Zealand and Chinese Taipei in the Hero Intercontinental Cup which is part of their preparation for the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019.Constantine termed the Hero Intercontinental Cup as "an opportunity to play against good opponents."We need to play more International games before the AFC Asian Cup and here we are getting some International games against good opponents. New Zealand will be going to be a difficult team to deal with,” he said.

The squad of 30 players for the preparatory Camp in Mumbai is as follows:

India U-16 National Team started the Four-nation International Tournament with a resounding 2-1 victory over Jordan in Serbia tonight (May 9, 2018). After conceding in the second minute of the match, India made a strong comeback in the 17th minute, thanks to the terrific finish by Ridge. Rohit Danu scored India's second goal nine minutes later which eventually, proved to be the difference between the two teams until the final whistle.

Jordan started off in a great fashion having scored the opener within two minutes of the kick-off before India slowly clawed back into the game. Givson tried his luck from outside the box in the fourth minute but it sailed over the crossbar. Rohit Danu found himself in a comfortable position three minutes later but the Jordanian goalie jumped on his feet to put the danger away.

Finally, Ridge came into his team's rescue in the 17th minute to draw parity in the scoreline. Vikram unleashed a square pass from the edge of the box and the midfielder netted his first goal of the match. Seven minutes later, the Jordanian goalkeeper made a mistake and Rohit Danu made it count for them having scored the second goal for India. Ridge blasted a right-footed shot from the top of the box and the goalie fumbled grabbing it and on rebound, Rohit Danu slotted it past the goalie to send the Indian dugout into a delirium.

After the changeover, Jordan rung in a couple of changes in their quest to find the equaliser. Givson came very close to score India's third goal in the 53rd minute but the goalie tipped it out of danger giving away a corner to India. Jordan earned back-to-back corners after the hour-mark but they couldn't score their second goal, courtesy a couple of acrobatic saves by the lanky goalie Biaka.

Having introduced Ravi and Bikas towards the end at the expense of Sailo and Vikram respectively, coach Bibiano Fernandes opted to assess his bench strength as well. Eventually, the Indian defenders held their nerves to sign off with an emphatic 2-1 victory. India will have to negotiate with the challenges imposed by hosts Serbia in their next encounter in the Four-nation International Tournament on May 11, 2018 which is scheduled to kick-off at 10:30 PM IST
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PIC - AIFF TWITTER Kenya has been roped in as a replacement for South Africa in Hero Intercontinental Cup

AIFF Press Release - 07.05.2018 : Kenya has been roped in as a replacement for South Africa in the forthcoming Hero Intercontinental Cup after the South African Football Federation in a letter to All India Football Federation expressed their inability to participate in the four-nation tournament.

Besides Kenya from the CAF region, the Hero Intercontinental Cup which will kick-off at the Mumbai Football Arena on June 1 will also have representation in the form of New Zealand from the Oceania region, and Chinese Taipei from the AFC region. The Kenyan squad boasts of a number of players who play across various professional premier leagues in Europe and other parts of the world.

The tournament which will be telecast live on Star Sports is being organised to strengthen India’s preparation for the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019, our second qualification to the Continental Championship in 8 years and fourth overall, the last being in Doha 2011.

The Indian National Team which has been on an upsurge over the last couple of years are currently ranked 97 (as per April 2018 FIFA Rankings) and were on an unbeaten run for 12 official matches for a span which extended from June 2016 to November 2017